From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/17:

The letter to the Hebrews explains that, in the past, the Lord spoke through prophets. But in these last days, God has spoken through His Son, Jesus Christ, “the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Jesus is more excellent because He is the Son of God, whom even the angels worship.

In the beginning of this story, the Lord gave dominion to Adam and Eve over all things on the earth. But when they did not exercise their dominion over the serpent and gave in to the temptations from Satan, that dominion was transferred to Satan and his evil powers. These powers are described in Ephesians 6:12 as the rulers of darkness of this age and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. However, God sent Jesus “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18).

Jesus came so “that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” And one day Jesus will return and destroy all evil for eternity.

Jesus “has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.”

The author warns the Hebrews not to go astray in their hearts as the Israelites did in the wilderness with Moses during the Exodus Era – “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). A sign of a true believer’s faith is their endurance to the end. God promises an ultimate rest for those who endure, trusting in Jesus and His word – “Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

More to the Hebrews tomorrow. Keep reading. (2 Timothy 4:19-22, Hebrews 1:1-4:13)